10 Huge Movie Returns Nobody Ever Expected (THAT ARE FINALLY HAPPENING!)

Another potential return of one of the most adored characters of the 80s/90s that sat in development hell for decades, the long-awaited fourth big-screen outing for Eddie Murphy's Axel Foley appeared to be all but dead back in 2011.

The star told Rolling Stone (via CNN) that, after feeling that none of the potential Beverley Hills Cop IV scripts were right, he was turning his attention towards a TV series starring Foley's son, with Axel being the Detroit's chief of police at that point.

Murphy's hotly-anticipated return as the wise-cracking, street-smart cop was then revived again as a feature in 2013, only to spend the next few years being delayed and remaining in the development phase.

But after decades of Murphy and co. trying to get a Foley fourquel made, Netflix finally agreed to help create the next instalment in 2019 (via Deadline), with principal photography ultimately kicking off in August 2022.

Foley unquestionably still ranks as one of Murphy's most iconic and beloved characters to date, with those first two Axel outings in particular being some of the most successful action flicks of the 80s.

And while it may have taken a hell of a lot longer than expected, finally getting to see the star return to a character that clearly holds a special place in his heart will no-doubt be a streaming treat in the not too distant future.